2 more illegal cosmetic importers raided by DSI

The Department of Special Investigations raided two more Pattaya-area health products companies, seizing caches of illegally imported cosmetics and herbal medicines.

DSI officers and Ratikorn Prasertthaicharoen, a pharmacist for the Consumer Protection Group of Chonburi’s Public Health Department, hit Parinya Herbal Products on Soi Nongkrabok and Siam Spa Extra Virgin in South Pattaya Jan. 7.

In addition to the cosmetics, herbal medicines, and food supplements, DSI officers were also looking for Russian tour guides at the behest of the Pattaya Tour Guide Club, which had complained illegal foreign guides were stealing jobs from Thais. A similar DSI raid on the Vitamax mall Dec. 23 - the same day the tour guide group filed its complaint - netted 22 arrests of Russian guides.

The latest crackdowns, however, uncovered no Russian guides at either site.

Police did seize, however, boxes of products lacking proper labels and licenses and which presumably had not been taxed upon import.

The shop owners were charged with violations of the Food and Drug Act and the Cosmetic Act of Thailand.

This article was published in the Pattaya Mail newspaper on Friday January 17, 2014 (Vol. XXII No. 3).